


Shield

by Delso



Category: Emmerdale, robron
Genre: Annoyed chas, M/M, Sad Aaron, apologetic rob, guilty robert, quiet aaron
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-17
Updated: 2017-01-17
Packaged: 2018-09-18 05:59:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,445
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9371165
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Delso/pseuds/Delso
Summary: Set after tonight's episode of chas talking to Robert about paying attention to Aaron instead of Rebecca.Robert realises what he has and that he's risking losing that. But Aaron realises the same too.





	

Chas places Robert's pint in front of him when she realises that he's so engrossed in his computer that he hasn't even noticed. She was beginning to understand what Aaron meant, and this hurt her because she knew her son was too quiet to say he was feeling ignored and would just distance himself. And Chas knew how that ended and never ever wanted to see a repeat of it. 

"My son may allow you to ignore him but I most certainly won't" Chas says boldly. 

This brings Robert out of his world of work that's been consuming most of his time lately. 

"What has he said something to you?" Robert asks.

He was suddenly aware that he may have ignored Arron this morning....and last night.....and maybe that morning too.....oh no. 

"Well if you actually paid attention to him and didn't ignore him, you'd know for yourself what's wrong with him" Chas says knowlingly

She was looking disappointed in Robert, a look he hadn't seen in a while from her, a look he hadn't missed. 

"He would tell me....wouldn't he?" Robert aks, trying to convince himself more than chas. 

"And you've given him the chance have you? Look Robert you are one of the few people Aaron has grown to trust completely with his feelings. I'm not saying you don't deserve that trust because you have proved multiple times that you love Aaron and he is your main priority. But I'm just begging you, don't let him go back into that state of mind where he traps himself and doesn't let anyone know what he's going through. We all know how destructive that is." Chas explains, with a sad tone to her voice.

Robert listens very closely to what chas is saying to him, she is like a mum to him too now and he values what she says greatly. But his heart drops when he gets a feeling that Aaron is in a bad place...and he's been ignoring him.

"No chas.....p-please tell me he's not hurting himself again, I promised myself I'd never let him feel like that again, that I'd take the pain away." Robert says, panicking at the thought of his man hurting himself again, alone and scared. 

"Oh no love! Well not that I'm aware of" chas suddenly worries that Aaron may actually be doing that....

"You don't think he is do you?" She asks panicked 

This reaction didn't settle Robert in the slightest, he had so many scenarios in his mind where Aaron could have hurt himself when Robert wasn't paying attention. Like last night, Aaron wanted to watch a movie in bed but Robert said he had to do this work for Rebecca, Aaron disappeared into the bathroom for a while and when he came back we went straight to sleep. What if he cut himself then? It made him feel sick to his stomach.

"Oh god" Robert said feeling ashamed and apauled at himself.

At that moment Aaron wonders in, he heads towards Robert, but then he sees that he's on his computer. He hesitates for a moment before heading to behind the bar, deciding to not bother and distract Robert from his work. 

Robert sees this and his heart sinks as he finally realises what is going on. He immediately gets up and follows Aaron, desperate to get to the bottom of this. 

When he enters the back room Aaron is sat on the sofa on his phone. He walks in and sits beside Aaron carefully. 

"Hey you didn't come over?" Robert says gently, referring to Aaron ignoring him in the bar.

He can see the hesitation in Aaron's eyes as he says "I didn't want to distract you, I know how hard you're working and I didn't want to interrupt" 

"Aww babe, you're so much more important than than Work, I wouldn't care that you've distracted me, you're a distraction that I crave" Robert says truthfully.

"Oh okay, sorry" Aaron says looking back at his phone.

Robert tenses, he can already see the effects of this, Aaron is being closed off. And he'll be damned if he's going to let this go on.

"Aaron, I'm sorry for ignoring you lately, I've just been under piles of work. But I want you to know that none of it is more important than you and I'm so sorry if I've made you feel that way." Robert says so sincerely. 

"Oh, it's okay" Aaron says with a tight smile.

"Stop that" Robert demands.

"Stop what?" Aaron asks confused.

"Acting like everything's okay when it's clearly not!" Robert says louder.

"Everything is okay....isn't it?" Aaron asks still attempting to play the oblivious card.

"Aaron please, let me in" Robert begs.

Aaron sighs "Rob I don't want to say" 

"Aaron I love you more than anything in this world, if there's something upsetting you I want to know so I can fix it. Please you're scaring me" Robert says with a shaky voice.

Aaron just looks down "yeah but you said we can't have his conversation again" Aaron mumbles 

"What?" Robert asks utterly confused.

"Ugh! I'm still feeling a little jealous and you ignoring me because of Rebecca isn't helping! But I also know that I'm being stupid and that I have every reason to trust you so I'm trying to keep quiet and not bother you!" Aaron let's out quickly, as if he's ashamed of this, and Robert notices.

"Oh babe, when I said we don't need this conversation again, didn't mean bottle things up if you're upset or feeling ignored! I'd never tell you to do that, I wish you had just told me sooner" Robert says desperately.

This causes Aaron's eyes to burn and water as he just now realises that he was being stupid and deep down he knew Robert would never ignore him and upset him on purpose 

"Hey hey don't cry" Robert wipes Aaron's tears away.

"I'm just sorry that you have to keep hearing me like a broken record....but I guess that just sums me up really....broken" Aaron loses track. 

"No. you're not broken. You've been bent and cracked but never broken, you've always repaired yourself and stayed strong. And I'm the the glue to make sure that nothing in this world ever attempts to break you again. Never apologise to me about your feelings, I can accept this doubt you have because you're telling me about it calmly, not accusing me." Robert says with so much emotion. 

Aaron just pulls his sleeves over his hands and squeezes them shut tightly. 

"Thank you" is all he mumbles.

Robert takes Aaron's hands in his own and unballs his fists. 

"Show me" he says calmly, even though inside his heart is racing at what he may find.

"Show you what?" Aaron asks confused as he looks up and Robert with a tear stained face. 

"The cuts" Robert says sadly. 

"I haven't cut myself rob? " Aaron says unsure as to why Robert would think that. 

" baby, it's okay, I just want to help you." Robert begs desperately trying to get through to Aaron.

"Rob I swear I haven't. Maybe a a year ago, sure. But now I have too much to loose, I have the man of my dreams who I love more than anything in the world and I have liv who is relying on me to keep her safe." Aaron says confidently 

Rob just smiles and pride fills his heart.  
"Thank god! The thought of my fiancé hurting himself kills me inside, I love you so so much and I'm meant to protect you and I thought I had let you down again. But Aaron I'm so proud of you, you've grown so much this past year and I couldn't be happier. But baby that isn't to say if you ever do hurt yourself that I'm angry and disappointed, but I want you to tell me how you're feeling so I can keep you safe." 

Robert leans in and kisses Aaron, holding him close. He should have never doubted Aaron, he knows they tell each other everything. However that fear will always linger inside him because he knows Aaron has such a sensitive heart, and the world constantly throws things at him trying to hurt and break him. But now that heart has a shield, one that may break one day, but one that would give up his dying breath to keep Aaron safe. 

He still checks that night though, and every other night, for any fresh cuts and marks on his beautiful finances frame. Just to make sure that his shield is doing his job.


End file.
